Hero

How to do it

Kneel on the floor with the knees together and the feet just wider than the hips. The tops of the feet press flat into the mat, toes pointing straight back — the opposite of Toe Squat. Sit down between the heels. If the hips don't reach the floor, or the knees or quads complain, sit up on a block or a folded blanket set between the feet. Sit tall, hands resting on the thighs. Hold and breathe; the stretch builds across the front of the thighs, the shins, and the ankles.

Why it's good for runners

Where Toe Squat loads the bottom of the foot, Hero loads the front — the quads, the shin, and the anterior ankle that running holds in a short, repetitive range. The two together open the foot and ankle in both directions, which no single shape can. As a long hold, Hero gives the front of the ankle and the quads the slow lengthening they rarely get, and it's the natural counterpose after Toe Squat's intense work on the sole of the foot.

Common mistakes

Don't sit between the heels if the knees protest — get up onto a block so the knee angle stays comfortable. Don't let the feet splay out to the sides or roll in; keep them pointing straight back, tops flat. And if the front of the ankle complains, slide a rolled blanket under the ankles to soften the stretch.